WEBVTT BF 25 NEWS.ARI?AR HE HAS SPENT ABOUT 24 HOURSAT THE PALM BEACH COUNTY JAIL.HE POSTED BOND AROUND 9:00TONIGHT.AS HE SAW US HE SEEMED PLEASEDWITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO TE HISSIDE OF THE STORY.>> I NEVER LAID A HAND ON THEBOY AND I ALWAYS TRIED TO TAKETHE BEST CARE OF HIM I COULD.ARI: WE CAUGHT UP WITH ROBERTDERSA AS HE LEFT THE PALM BEACCOUNTY JAIL TUESDAY NIGHT.HE TOLD US REPEATEDLY ALL THEACCUSATIONS MADE BY HIS12-YEAR-OLD SON ARE FALS>> HE'S A TROUBLED MIND AND HENEEDS AS MUCH HELP AS HE CANPOSSIBLY GET.ARI: THE ACCUSATIONS AOUTLINED IN THE POLICE REPORT,AND THEY ARE DISTURBINTHE BOY TOLD POLICE HE WASQUOTE, HANDCUFFED TO A LARGE DOGCRATE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OTIME.THE CHILD WAS DENIED FOOD WHENHUNGRY AND THE USE OF THERESTROOMTHE REPORT GOES ON TO SAY DERSAPUNCHED THE BOY AND HIT HIM WITHA VACUUM STICK.THE BOY TOLD POLICE IT WASPUNISHMENT BECAUSE HE QUOTE,WENT IN THE REFRIGERATOR WITHOUTPERMISSION.>> YES, THAT IS SOMETHING THNEVER HAPPENED.ARI: DERSA SAYS HE HAS LIVED INTHIS PALM SPRINGS HOME WITH HIWIFE AND SON FOR YEARS, AND INALL THAT TIME HIS SON HAS HADMENTAL ISSUES AND HAS NOW LIEDTO THE POLICE.>> HE'S BEEN IN IN-HOUSECOUNSELING.HE'S BEEN WITH PSYCHIATRISTS ANDTHERAPISTSAND, YOU KNOW, HE'S A TROUBLEDMIND.ARI: THE POLICE REPORT, THOUGH,DESCRIBES THE BOY AS CREDIBLE,SAYING HE WAS QUOTE, VERYCONSISTENT WITH THE ORIGINALDETAILED ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE.AND INVESTIGATORS DID FIND A DOGCAGE WITH HANDCUFFS ATTACHED INA BACK BEDROOM.SO WHAT'S THE STORY WITH THECAGE AND THE HANDCUFFS BACK INTHE BEDROO>> THAT WAS NOT WITH MY SOIT'S JUST SOMETHING ME AND MYWIFE LIKE PLAYING AROUND WITH.THAT'S IT.ARI: AND DERSA SAYS HE LOOKSFORWARD TO A COURT DATE WHERE HECAN PROVE THAT AND PROVE HIS SONIS NOT TELLING THE TRUTH.>> HE HAS A LOT OF MENTAILLNESSES, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATETHAT THE POLICE WILL LISTEN TOSOMEONE THAT'S SO TROUBLED.AR HAS PART OF THE CONDITIONSOF HIS BOND HE IS NOT ALLOWED TOHAVE CONTACT WITH HIS SON, NORHISWIFE, THAT MEANS YOU CAN'TGO HOME.HE TOL ME HE HAVE TO FINDSOMEWHERE ELSE TO STAY.

Robert Dersa walked out of the Palm Beach County Jail Tuesday night carrying a brown paper bag with his belongings in it.He immediately stopped when he was offered the chance to tell his side of a disturbing story.“I never laid a hand on the boy and I always tried to take the best care of him I could,” Dersa told WPBF 25 News in an exclusive interview.Dersa was arrested Sunday and charged with the aggravated child abuse of his 12-year-old son.According to the police report, the boy told investigators he had been, “handcuffed to a large dog crate for extended periods of time. The child was denied food when hungry and the use of the restroom.”The boy also told police Dersa punched him and hit him with a vacuum stick.The report said the boy told them the abuse was punishment because he “went in the refrigerator without permission.”“That is something that never happened,” Dersa said.During the interview, Dersa was adamant about his innocence, saying his son has mental issues and is now lying to the police.“He’s been in in-house counseling. He’s been with psychiatrists and therapists,” Dersa said of his son. “He’s a troubled mind.”The police report, however, described the boy as “credible,” saying he was “very consistent with the original detailed allegations of abuse.”Investigators also said they did find a dog cage with handcuffs attached to it in a back bedroom.“That was not with my son,” Dersa said of the cage and cuffs in the bedroom. “It’s just something me and my wife like playing around with.”Dersa said he’s looking forward to his day in court when he can prove his son is not telling the truth.“He has a lot of mental illnesses and it’s unfortunate that the police will listen to someone that’s so troubled.”Dersa is free on bond but is not allowed to contact his son nor his wife. He must find another place to live.The boy is currently in foster care.

Robert Dersa walked out of the Palm Beach County Jail Tuesday night carrying a brown paper bag with his belongings in it.

He immediately stopped when he was offered the chance to tell his side of a disturbing story.

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“I never laid a hand on the boy and I always tried to take the best care of him I could,” Dersa told WPBF 25 News in an exclusive interview.

Dersa was arrested Sunday and charged with the aggravated child abuse of his 12-year-old son.

According to the police report, the boy told investigators he had been, “handcuffed to a large dog crate for extended periods of time. The child was denied food when hungry and the use of the restroom.”

The boy also told police Dersa punched him and hit him with a vacuum stick.

The report said the boy told them the abuse was punishment because he “went in the refrigerator without permission.”

“That is something that never happened,” Dersa said.

During the interview, Dersa was adamant about his innocence, saying his son has mental issues and is now lying to the police.

“He’s been in in-house counseling. He’s been with psychiatrists and therapists,” Dersa said of his son. “He’s a troubled mind.”

The police report, however, described the boy as “credible,” saying he was “very consistent with the original detailed allegations of abuse.”

Investigators also said they did find a dog cage with handcuffs attached to it in a back bedroom.

“That was not with my son,” Dersa said of the cage and cuffs in the bedroom. “It’s just something me and my wife like playing around with.”

Dersa said he’s looking forward to his day in court when he can prove his son is not telling the truth.

“He has a lot of mental illnesses and it’s unfortunate that the police will listen to someone that’s so troubled.”

Dersa is free on bond but is not allowed to contact his son nor his wife. He must find another place to live.